Crowning Glory [The Royal Wolves 3] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Honor James

  Smiling as he pulled back he took out his phone as the elevator opened to let them out. She could see his fingers dialing his brother up and as they moved through to the car he left him a message to let him know they were on the move and would be there soon. Unlocking the door he held it for her. “Come on, darling, we have places to go and a little girl to wire up for the return to her parents.”

  “Let’s not wire her up too much because just keep in mind that what you do to one, comes back on you ten times and if we are ever blessed with kids, I don’t want to let them go to Uncle Janos and Aunt Mina’s place and come back as holy terrors.”

  She could see that he managed to keep his mouth shut, but just barely, that it was a real challenge because that was just begging for him to snark at her that her kids would be holy terrors no matter what. But he clearly resisted, nodded in a pleasant manner and just drove, even if his jaw looked like it was cramping from pressing his teeth so tightly together.

  Her lips twitched and eyes watered only a moment before the damning giggle broke out followed by the gale of laughter as she watched him trying so hard not to comment, not to tell her that their children would be brats no matter what happened.

  “And what are you laughing at?” he asked, the confusion hitting him, totally making his mind jump away from what would have gotten him killed.

  “I’m watching you clenching your teeth so hard that I can hear them cracking, you want to comment back. You want to tell me that my children are going to be brats no matter what happens, admit it, you know you do.”

  Giving her a shocked look he shook his head for a second before nodding. “I would never think that,” he teased with a grin and a soft chuckle. “I’m sorry, love, I tried,” he said softly. “But you have to admit, if you thought of it, I couldn’t help myself.”

  “I know, Laszlo.” She squeezed the hand she was holding and laughed. “It’s not just me where our children would get their hellionistic tendencies from.”

  Clearly trying to convey a shocked look, Laz shook his head. “I know you would never dare accuse me of such. Now Uncles Mik and Janos definitely, those two should never be allowed near impressionable young minds.” Not really, but he was winging it. “I on the other hand am the perfect example of restraint and decorum.”

  She snorted when he said that and shook her head. “You are not,” she said through her laughter. “Silly man.” Shaking her head, she leaned back and closed her eyes. “Anyway, love, just drive. Get us there to get Katherine and then we will go on, deal?”

  Glancing at her, he lifted a brow as she caved so easily and quickly, especially after his pointed and very clear fib. “Are you okay love?” he asked with a slight frown. “This isn’t like you in the least.”

  “I am fine, Laszlo, I’m just hurting right now because of this heat thing but I can’t wait to see Katherine, too. I’m torn truth be told, I’m torn because I want to be with you and only you but I want to be with her, too, and spend some girl time with the little angel.”

  “You know I’ll be close, right?” he asked quietly he reached over to brush his fingers down her cheek. “I won’t intrude on your quintessential girl time, but I’ll be there if you need me. Just call my name and I’ll wander up to see what’s going on.”

  “I know that you will but I am still nervous, Laszlo. What if I do something that will somehow hurt her? What if I do something that will corrupt her innocent little mind?”

  “You won’t hurt her and you are an officer of the law, Des, I highly doubt you are going to corrupt her. Besides, if Miklos and Kristof haven’t managed to do it by now, I highly doubt you can do anything worse. If it gets too hard give a yell and I’ll come and help out for a little while and then fade into the night.”

  She saw that they were turning onto the roadway leading to Janos and Mina’s and nodded. “I can do this. I love that child as if she were my own, of course I can do this, right?” She felt the Wolf backing back at the mention of Katherine being like her own child and felt that was the key, that the Wolf protected her cubs and was backing off to protect this one as well.

  “She is one of ours, love,” Laszlo told her with a smile. “She’s family and is protected and loved just as we would love our own. Just as we care and love for the wolves that protect us, they share that love and protection over us, their people. It’s all balance, Des, as long as she is happy and safe, then the Wolf will stay low and laid back,” he said guessing at her sudden relaxation.

  “How do you know me so very well, Laszlo?” she grumbled and reached out to touch his hand. “It’s as if you are inside of my brain and shifting through things with me.” It was eerie sometimes but truth be told, she loved it. “But you’re right. The Wolf has backed down, she’s calmed down and is now anxiously waiting for her little pup to come to her.”

  Chuckling softly at that he shot her a look. “Well we shall have to think about giving the fierce mama Wolf a couple pups of her own to protect,” he said casually. He knew it was possible, any contraception she’d been using as a human wouldn’t work for the Wolf and, even at that moment, she could already be carrying his children.

  “Only one at a time if you please.” Des added simply, “I think that you and I would be sleeping apart for a while if we got pregnant with more than one at a time and I’m making you carry them.”

  Chuckling again he shook his head. “Sorry, darling, you know I’d do it if it was medically possible but I just don’t have the bits to make that plausible. But you should know that the likelihood of multiples is pretty slim. In our family history there has only ever been three sets of twins and always about two hundred or more years apart.”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but thank goodness.” Desi leaned back and literally wiped the sweat from her brow. When they stopped before the front door of Janos and Mina’s, she grinned over at him. “All right, love, let’s get that little angel and abscond with her quickly.”

  Throwing the car into park he slid out and went around to help her out, wrapping his arm around her as he guided her toward the door. Ringing the bell he stood looking at her. “You are going to be just fine love,” he said softly with a smile.

  “Of course I will. You won’t be far and the wolf is backed down so that I can take care of our little one, even if she is only our little one for the night.”

  When Mina opened the door, Desmonda knew that she had seen the office and her. “Well neither of you look as if you have glass anywhere on your body. You sure? Because there was a broken picture frame under someone’s underwear.” Her gaze swung to Laszlo. “Hello, brother.” She was smiling so wide that it was surreal, her happiness and mirth taking any possible sting from her words. “Janos was fit to be tied, be happy Kat was at school and I could help calm him.” She smirked. “Janos!” She called knowing her mate was very close. “Look who’s here.”

  “Hello, little sister.” Laszlo chuckled as he looked to Desmonda. “I know she’s not referring to mine since I don’t wear any,” he murmured softly.

  “I’d hope not, they were on the lacy side,” Janos growled as he walked up with Katherine in his arms. “We will be talking about boundaries soon enough and you owe me a frame,” he told them both keeping his humor down. It was clear that though Mina had gotten him back into a good mood, he was not planning on letting them off the hook any time soon.

  Desmonda pressed her face against Laszlo’s arm and felt the blush riding her hard. “It would be my fault,” she said without moving, “Something about the heat.” She peeped a look at them and blushed all the harder. “Katherine, darling, come here, beauty. Let Aunty Des hold you and get you out to the car so that we can leave and go to a special place, a cabin in the woods.”

  Watching as Des took Katherine to the car, Laszlo shook his head. “She’s having a time with the heat,” he said, sharing a look with Janos. “If you think your office was bad, go by mine and see my desk.” He grinned widely at that. “My woman has serious claws.” Chucklin
g, he headed off with a promise to let them know if they were needed for whatever unknown and unforeseen reason.

  Mina looked at Janos when they left and smiled. “Are you very certain that you are ready to instill in me a part of this heat that Desi is struggling with, my love?” Her hands moved up Janos’s chest and hooked around his neck. “You should answer at this time, yes, baby, very much so.”

  Wrapping her close in his arms he lowered his head to rest his forehead to hers. “Of course I am, love,” he said, softly rubbing her back. “It’s part of being a Wolf and the desperation that Des is currently feeling lessens over time, the first year is the worst. Besides”—he smiled slowly—“you will be a beautiful little Wolf that I will gladly pet and play with as often as my mate wishes.”

  Mina grinned and jumped up into his arms to begin to kiss him. When she pulled back she looked down into her beloved’s face. “Then, Janos Farkus, I suggest that you and I get the show on the road before our daughter comes home.”

  Letting out a yelping howl, Janos spun around and tore back into the house, the door slamming shut from a kick of his heels.

  Picking up the sound on the wind, Laz smiled softly and nodded. “About time,” he murmured with a hint of humor knowing just what his brother and his little mate had planned that night. Glancing to Des he winked. “All right, do we need to raid our kitchen for anything before we go to the cabin?” he asked her.

  Desi had heard the sound, too, and grinned. “I think so, Laszlo, we will want to make sure that we have plenty of food and snacks for our night of movies. Speaking of movies”—she looked down at Katherine—“I have a wide selection for us and nail polish, clippers, and all kinds of girly stuff that I was assured always is used when having a sleepover.”

  Laszlo shuddered at the words “girly stuff,” any man would when it came to the torture females put themselves through, a man just didn’t want anything like that being done around them or worse, being pulled into helping.

  Des looked at Laszlo and grinned. She felt the same way about the “girly stuff” and prayed that they never had daughters for her to warp. She listened to Katherine’s giggle and then when the little girl leaned up and whispered in Des’s ear, Desmonda beamed. “You, Katherine, are a true shining star.” She looked to Laszlo and smirking asked, “Do you think that we can set up a target so that I can teach Kat how to shoot a bow? Evidently she has one in her pack but doesn’t know exactly how to make the arrow go straight to hit the mark.”

  Blinking at them both Laz nodded slowly. “I’ve got one at the back of our property,” he said with a slight frown. “We can grab it on the way by to the cabin but we’ll need to take the truck otherwise we’d have to strap Katherine to the roof to fit it in here.”

  Katherine giggled and nodded so Des said, “That would be good, Laszlo. If you don’t mind we should stop and get the targets so that we can teach our little niece how to shoot a nice and straight line so that Janos has another reason to growl at me when we come over.” Funny how there wasn’t an ounce of remorse in her voice.

  “If he picks on you tell me, I can still whop him one, being the oldest has its privileges after all.” Laz grinned at her. “But we’ll grab a couple targets and ensure that she can pick off her daddy Janos at forty yards when he’s chasing her boyfriends away.”

  Desmonda was going to say something but it was Katherine who took the cake with, “Uncle Laszlo, I don’t intend on dating or having boyfriends. They are gross and smelly and no one will ever be as good as my daddy. Nope, I’m not going to ever date nobody because nobody is good enough.”

  His jaw dropped open and he began to sputter, thankfully they were pulling up to the house because he was almost a hundred percent positive he’d have driven into a tree otherwise. “Oh god, he’s already got her brainwashed,” he muttered in a low tone for Desmonda’s ears only.

  Des just shot him a look and said, “You’re telling me that if we have daughters you aren’t going to tell her the exact same things and praise her when she pipes up just like this?” She snorted. “Puh-leese.”

  Laszlo thought about it for a moment and shook his head. “No I don’t think I will,” he told her quietly, as if knowing that she’d know it was truth, his Wolf not allowing anything else. “I would like to think that any daughters we might be blessed with would have your good sense, love, and in that would know what to do in any given situation. If they want to have a boyfriend I hope they choose only those that are not losers but, if they are taken in, I will be there for them when they need me.”

  “Now see that sounds much better than telling me that you wouldn’t tell our daughters the same thing.” She shrugged and looked back at Katherine. “Ready, kitten?”

  “I’m not a kitten, my daddy’s a doggy so I’m a puppy,” Katherine said proudly as she swung her feet and kicked her heels on the seat, “But yes, Aunty Des, I’m ready to get the targets and junk food so that we can do the cabin thing you and Uncle Lassie talked about.”

  Desmonda grinned and turned to stop from laughing. Her hand moved automatically to Laszlo’s leg and squeezed his knee to offer him her comfort while he struggled with what Katherine had so affectionately nicknamed him.

  “Kat my dear, dear niece, Lassie was a girl,” Laz told her quietly as he parked the car and turned to look at her. “While I’ll let you get away with it because you are so cute, can you remember to only keep it in the family, little one?” he asked softly.

  “I will try, Uncle Lassie.” Katherine smiled and in that young mischievous grin held the answer, that she knew just what she was doing and did it happily.

  Des just shook her head and kept herself from laughing. Getting out she opened Katherine’s door and undid the child from the car seat. “All right, little one, let’s get us some snacks while Uncle Laszlo gets the targets for us, shall we?” At the girl’s happy laughter and claps Des looked to Laszlo. “We will be inside if you need us.”

  Growling softly he nodded as he eyed the devilish little girl and knew his reputation was in ruins. Shaking his head as they went in he parked the car in the garage and pulled the truck around to the front to wait for them.

  “No, Katherine, you need to pull it back and hold your elbow bent and you release your fingers, not let the whole arm move forward.” Desi instructed Katherine.

  “I don’t know how to make it do it right,” Kat complained but pulled the string back and locked her elbow the way that her aunt instructed and then she let go her fingers only and was rewarded with the arrow releasing and falling to the ground before making the target.

  Snickering in the background where he sat watching, Laz shook his head and moved forward. “All right, Kat my girl, time for Uncle Laz to show you a trick.” Kneeling behind her he encouraged her to point at the target. “Keep your front arm straight and locked, don’t let the bow alter your wrist alignment at all, you have to be a single unit from your back, through your shoulder, down to your elbow and into your wrist and hand. Next”—he adjusted her foot placement slightly—“Now pull back on the string until your fingertips just brush under your ear, at the joint of your jaw.”

  Shifting he checked her position. “This is your hold position, little one,” he added as he made one more quick change. “Remember this position, hold it for just a moment so your body feels it and remembers it. Then, when you are ready and sighting down the shaft, lift it just a hair more for the drop factor and tug back so your fingers just clear your jaw then, release, but do not move, all you will do is have your fingers let the string go, nothing else moves in your body until that arrow hits the target.”

  Des watched Laszlo with Katherine and had to smile. He was really cut out to be a father, and someday he would, someday way, way, in the future. When he was finished and Katherine pulled back once more, Des watched and held her breath for a moment until Kat let the arrow soar and ping just outside of the bullseye.

  Laughter erupted from the child followed with jumping up and down and giggling.
Des could only smile as she watched Katherine jump into her uncle’s arms and happily proclaim, “I did it!”

  Chuckling, Laszlo hugged her close. “Yes you did,” he told her, softly swinging her around before putting her down. “Do it again and this time, take a deep breath and release it slowly before you let the arrow go,” he suggested, encouraging her back into position. Des watched him making tiny adjustments to get her back into place as he sat back on his heels and waited for her shot.

  Des watched Katherine proudly and laughed and clapped with them when she made the mark in the dead center. “She’s a natural.” She grinned and touched Laszlo’s hair, just needing to touch him, caress him and show him her love. “You are going to make the most amazing father,” popped out of her mouth before she could censor her words.

  “Oh, I know.” He grinned at her with a wink. “But then I have the very best partner in the world at my side for the day we have our own little ones.” Leaning into her he gave her a light kiss and really wondered how she hadn’t figured it out yet. Nipping at her lip he smiled. “You will be a marvelous mother, our kids will know how to shoot and break into buildings before they’re out of diapers.” Laz loved to tease her and he knew that would get her going.

  She snorted. “Not break into buildings, that’s for sure.” Even if she could pick a lock faster than most people could sneeze. “Anyway, if you two will excuse me I’m going to go and pop us some popcorn and start our dinner, if you won’t miss me?”

  “You don’t have to run off, love,” Laz said softly. “I’m the one intruding on your girls night out, I should be the one going,” he pointed out with a smile.

  “You don’t have to leave yet. I’m just starting our meal.” She paused and then, “You know what. We will order pizza, how does that sound, Kat?”

  Katherine jumped up and squealed, “Oh, I like that idea, Aunty Desi, ’cause mommy won’t let me have it.” She clapped happily and nodded. “I want pupperoni, lots of pupperoni.”